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Automated behavioural enrichment for poultry – development of an innovative system to improve animal welfare (ÖP)
Project
Project code: ML-Referat 304/EIP-Agri-Nr. 19
Contract period: 18.05.2016
- 15.02.2019
Budget: 802,880 Euro
Purpose of research: Applied research
Keywords: animal husbandry
Poultry industry has to face social challenges especially concerning animal welfare issues. In respect of the planned exit from beak trimming in laying hens and turkeys injuries/damages caused by behaviour disorders like feather pecking and cannibalism are rather predicted. A decisive cause for these kinds of behavioural abnormalities is thought to be the barely structured environment animals live in, which does not ensure adequate possibilities to show species-appropriate behaviour. So the aim of this project is to develop an innovative system to automatically provide enrichment to the animals. The system should be judged with regard to animal behaviour, animal health, the environment and economy, as well as to the appropriate enrichment material. Therefore, this innovative concept is expected to directly improve animal welfare in poultry.
Section overview
Subjects
- Animal Husbandry
- Animal health
Funding programme
Excutive institution
Institute for Animal Health, Animal Welfare and Behaviour of Farm Animals (ITTN)